


The Last Goodbye

by spitefulpanda



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-28
Updated: 2015-01-28
Packaged: 2018-03-09 11:34:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3248177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spitefulpanda/pseuds/spitefulpanda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An alternative ending to the game, since I thought it was anticlimactic and could have been so much more.</p><p>Corypheus' main army was broken and the Inquisition's main force was in the Arbor Wilds. Corypheus, in his desperation pulled out the biggest trump card he could have used at his disposal. The darkspawn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Last Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> The entire game I was expecting a siege at Skyhold to take place. It would have been epic to hold off a darkspawn siege of Skyhold while it was undermanned. They could have even factored in some of your decisions. What upgrades did you do for Skyhold? Did you exile the wardens or not? Maybe you have to make some ME2 style decisions to hold the darkspawn back and choose certain companions for certain jobs. Maybe some of them die if you choose wrong. At any rate, this is my headcanon, I hope you enjoy it!

A bigger silence fell on the war room, then ever before. Cullen buried his face in his hands, Leliana calmly whispering in his ear. _It's not over yet –_ heard Alec, before the assassin’s words were only heard by Cullen again. The man slowly shook his head and the whispering continued. 

They had no army. They had nothing. Everyone who had been capable of holding a sword was taken to the Arbor Wilds and the mission was a success. Corypheus didn't get the Well. Instead he got an opportunity to finish off the Inquisition for good. 

There was not a single soul left in Skyhold who would have stood a chance in a battle. Children and women, elders and sick people. If they wouldn't have traveled with the fastest horses even Alec's company wouldn't have arrived in time. 

In time to see their own end. 

For some reason instead of panic, silence followed the news. Acceptance. Corypheus was getting closer and could have arrived any moment with his army. All the preparation and planning in vain, because they forgot something, which could have fatal consequences. Corypheus' darkspawn army. 

Alec didn't want to think about what would have happened if he exiled the Grey Wardens. Maybe it would be easier to accept defeat rather then holding into the false hope that even if they arrive back in time, they would be able to deal with the monsters. 

If they arrive. 

Cullen stood and left the war room. Alec couldn't really blame him, after all even if the failure was everyone's, it weighed the most on the advisers' shoulders. Josephine buried herself in paperwork, as if a few ravens could solve their problems. If the consignees were any intelligent they would leave Thedas. Alec wouldn't come to help either in their position. Being heroic was a nice thing, but it was better to salute over a hero's coffin than lie in it. 

Most of the people tried to act as if nothing bad had happened. Sera baked cookies, Bull found relief in the tavern's mead and Varric wrote. A peek in the book was enough for Alec to know what it was. Memoirs. Letter to Bianca to go as far as possible, deep in the ground and a letter to Hawke, that he was happy that they were able to meet, for one last time. 

But the worse was knowing that everyone wanted to go home. They couldn't spend their last minutes with their loved ones; instead they were stuck between the cold walls of Skyhold, waiting for it to collapse around them. 

“You need to go home,” he said quietly to Dorian in the library. The place was empty, but he didn't want anyone to hear his words. For the first time Dorian didn't laugh. The mage slowly shook his head and gently stroked Alec's face. 

“I won't leave you here.” 

Alec slapped his hand away in annoyance. “If you stay here, you will die, Dorian. You will take my horse and go to Val Royeaux. There's a man there who will be waiting for you to--” 

Dorian interrupted him. “I'm not going anywhere.” 

“Listen to me!” he snapped at him. “You won't know who to look for. There's a man in Val Royeaux who will give you his fastest horse in exchange for mine. After that don't rest until you reach the Tevinter border and in Tevinter you need to get on a ship called Cavendish, which leaves from Vyranitum's port. It leaves in five days. I wrote down everything for you on this paper” he gabbled and gave him the yellowish parchment. The paper caught flames in the mage's hand, leaving only soot in his palm. 

Alec grabbed the first book he could reach and torn out a paper. “It's all right, I'll write it down for you again...” 

The ink touched feather shook in his hand, the letters curved messily under its tip, but he had to write it down. _He won't know where to change horses. He will miss the ship and..._

Dorian hand lowered on his writing one. 

“I need to write down...” 

“That ship will sail out without me. Because if you think that I'll leave you here, you are a bigger fool than I thought.” 

Now, Alec stared out the window in silence. It happened five days ago. Cavendish sailed out in the morning and Dorian was reading somewhere in Skyhold. 

“Are there any news of the Grey Wardens?” he asked, breaking the silence that seemed hours long. He didn't speak loudly, but his voice filled the room all the same. 

“Only the old ones. My spies sent a message two days ago, that they are near the border of Orlais, but we had no words since.” 

A silence fell between them again. 

“How is Cullen?” 

Leliana sighed. “He isn't coping well. Everything we worked for is not here when we need it the most. But do not worry,” she added, “if there were a battle, he would be in best shape.” 

“It's hard to not worry. No matter how well we can use our weapons if we can't reach the sword.” 

“The army will arrive. We just have to pray that they will before Corypheus.” 

Alec looked down at his hand, that started throbbing days ago, harder every second. “Corypheus is near.” 

Leliana just nodded silently, her face blank like a mask from Orlais. 

“Maybe we should flee until we can.” 

“We've already talked about this. We have nowhere to go.” 

“We had nowhere to go after Haven either. But we survived.” 

“Skyhold has walls that we can protect. Walls that we can hide behind. Out in the wilderness we would be defenseless. Also, this place gives people hope. If someone needs to show that it is worth trying to defeat Corypheus it's you. If even the chosen one is giving up, who stands a chance?” 

Alec let out a wry smile. “So I should just put on a smile and act like there was no danger whatsoever?” 

“Everyone knows there is danger. But hope; that's something they are not sure about.” 

... 

It happened so quickly. In one moment he was sleeping, in the next Dorian was shaking his shoulder, panic on his face, saying that they have to go, they are here, wake up. The alarm bell started out faintly, but by the time they reached the riotous throne room it was the only thing they could hear. Only when Cassandra took his arm he realized that he didn't say a proper goodbye to Dorian. The mage stayed close to him, but the hope of a last talk faded away as the crowd continued to grow around them. 

_Can we kill it? -_ asked someone. _Is there a plan? What do we do know?_

It was a miracle that he didn't wake up to his hand, the mark throbbing faster and faster. Corypheus was here. 

The war room's door slammed shut behind them under Cassandra's hands. 

“I'm afraid punishing the door won't help us much, my dear,” commented Dorian in a light tone, which only made Cassandra's frown deeper. 

“This is not the time for jokes, Dorian,” she said in a heavy accent. “Corypheus is here. We need to discuss the battle plan.” 

They were the last to arrive to the war room. Alec's every companion was present. He stepped to the war table, that the three advisers were leaning over. The small metal figures, they spent so much organizing layed on the ground, swept off and the map was covered with tons of paper. Reports – realized Alec. 

With a letter in hand Cullen cleared up a place on the map. “The wardens should be here,” he pointed at spot between Skyhold and Orlais. 

“But it's at least a day's walk away,” said Varric and a small silence fell on the room. “They won't get here in time,” he murmured. “Shit.” 

“Although I enjoy the drama, this is a bit too much even for me,” added Dorian. 

“What's the plan, Cullen?” asked Alec and Cullen started talking. 

“We need to weigh our options. We don't have an army, so fighting outside Skyhold's walls would be suicide. According to Leliana's agents, the number of darkspawns reaches one hundred thousand--” 

“ _One hundred thousand?_ ” he repeated in horror. “Even with the army, we are nothing compared to them!” 

"Like a petulant child, he will now try to destroy the game board,” Solas commented. 

“I would like to remind everyone that the last Blight was stopped by two Grey Wardens,” spoke up Leliana,” and there were millions of darkspawns were up against them.” 

“Considering that the only people capable of using a weapon are all in this room, I don't honestly think it matters whether it is one hundred thousand or a million,” commented Vivienne, but Blackwall shook his head. 

“Leliana is right. We have a chance to defeat them if we are able to kill the Archdemon, that summoned them. 

“In case you've been sleeping until now, darling, there is no Archdemon,” Vivienne sneered. “That is our problem.” 

“Blackwall is right about that we have to kill what summoned the darkspawns,” Leliana spoke again, ending the argument. “But it wasn't an Archdemon. It was Corypheus.” 

“So,” Alec started slowly,” if we kill Corypheus, his army dies with him?” 

Leliana nodded. “Probably.” 

Dorian let out a laugh. “ _Probably._ Oh, this is marvelous.” 

Alec looked at Dorian, who immediately raised his hand in surrender. “I'm shutting up.” 

“Corypheus needs to be killed,” Leliana continued,”but in the meantime we have to survive the darkspawn attack. The question is who stays and who goes.” 

“I can go by myself.” 

“No,” said Dorian and Cassandra in unison, before he could even finish. 

“It's not like anyone else has a chance against him,” Alec explained, hoping to convince them. “And I would have the dragon with me--” 

“Have you lost your mind, Amatus?” 

Cassandra touched Alec's shoulder. “Dorian is right, my friend. You need the most protection. We are expendables, but the mark is on your hand. And before you argue,” she raised her voice, when Alec opened his mouth to retort, “everyone agrees on this matter.” 

“Going alone is a stupid idea, boss,” said Bull. 

Varric nodded. “No need to play the hero, kid. And it's not like staying here is that much safer.” 

Solas who listened in silence until now, spoke up. “I will go with you.” 

Dorian talked before Alec could. “It's not your decision, Solas.” 

“I have much more purpose to be there,” he answered calmly. “I have knowledge which could help defeating Corypheus. You would only serve as a distraction.” 

“Like hell I would! I'm just as capable as you are, if not more.” 

“What do you think he would do, if you were injured?” argued Solas. “Keep fighting or help you? I think we both know the answer to that.” 

“And I think you shouldn't talk like I wasn't standing right here,” Alec snapped and the two mages silenced. Solas was the first to talk. 

“I apologize.” 

“Well, I don't,” Dorian said haughtily, giving Solas a look of disdain. “Because I don't agree.” 

Alec's gaze met Dorian's. They didn't need words to know, that Solas was right. If anything happened he would choose Dorian. 

In that moment Cole gasped and stood up. 

“Cold fury, demolish, destroy, _I will kill everyone,_ the walls are thin, stone is breakable, everything is flame, only ashes remain just like in Haven.” 

The cold pair of eyes stared at Alec. 

“He came for you.” 


End file.
